1/365: Let's See How Long Daily Blogging Lasts

As the clock struck midnight, I rolled over, gave my girlfriend Layla a kiss and a "Happy New Year" and proceeded to open up War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. The last New Year's of my 20s was riveting, but I wouldn't change it. In fact, I can't remember the last time I was out partying on New Year's or anything of the sorts. It's just not a bit of me and I'd rather stay inside and not deal with the crowds and riff raff if I can avoid it. Having New Year's off this year probably means I'll likely be working next year anyway! 

I don't really have New Years resolutions or goals as such, just a continuation of what I am doing. In terms of my fitness, I want to continue improving my running. I've got three main races this year I want to focus on - an Easter 10k in April, the Sittingbourne 10-miler in the summer, and then the Vilnius Half Marathon in September. The 10-miler will be the first time doing that distance, but it will be good practice for my Half Marathon a month and a half after. I want to continue going to parkruns where I can and, if I manage to stay injury-free, I want to log about 500km of running this year on Strava, which should be achievable (I got to 360km in 2025 but didn't start running until the end of February). If I can get my weight down to approx. 100kg, that would be a bonus too (I just love food too much, but have made good progress in December despite Christmas to be fair!). 

I have a number of adventures and trips planned for the year - Lithuania at the end of January, London to Malta overland in February (in 4 days...), and the big one - New Orleans and the American South in March with Layla. From there, nothing is booked but I'm likely to go to France and Lithuania in June and then Lithuania again in September. All being well, I should be able to hit fifty countries travelled to in 2026. 

I want to read more, and read quality more. I want to read the classics (hence War and Peace) and I want to read the best books ever written. I've come to realise I read too many books that "sound cool or interesting" but end up being lacklustre. After reading Lonesome Dove in October, I realised that there's no shame in taking book recommendations off strangers on the internet, especially if they are highly rated and if it's got a Pulitzer Prize, regardless of the genre, it's probably pretty good. Stoner which I finished on New Years Eve showed that to me even further. I've often failed in reading challenges because I've become bored of the books I'm reading, and I won't allow that to happen anymore. 

In turn, I want to write more. Ideally I'd love to write another novel or travel guide or memoir, but even just travel blogging and articles. Hell, it'd be nice to get an article published in an online newspaper such as Intrepid Times or something similar. If I can do that, great - if I can't well I'll just keep on blogging to the empty stadium. I'm going to try and blog on here everyday if I can. No promises, but this is the first of 365 I hope, just to keep me in the habit of writing - even if I can only muster a sentence or two. 

2026 promises to be a good one I reckon, but we'll take the good with the bad. Happy New Year to anyone who reads this, and I'll see you in 365 days time.